Vedan Vietnam promotes green production

Vedan Vietnam has prioritised environmental protection in the past 10 years, Vedan Vietnam Director General Yang Kun Hsiang was quoted as saying by Lao Dong newspaper.

“The environmental incident in 2008 was a big lesson for Vedan which was behind the great change in its development policy,” the company’s leader told the newspaper. 

Vedan Vietnam has invested 33 million USD in building wastewater treatment facilities, with daily capacity at 9,500 cubic metres, exceeding by one third the amount of wastewater the firm produces.

The company has also enhanced automation in production to save electricity and reduce waste and wastewater.

The factory has four wastewater treatment stations and two discharge gates on the Dong Nai river.

The automated wastewater monitoring system works around the clock and sends data to the Dong Nai provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment. 

According to the director, Vietnam is the biggest production centre of Taiwanese MSG-maker Vedan Group in the world, accounting for 45 percent of the group’s total output.

Vietnam and Dong Nai in particular is the group’s key investment destination thanks to its favourable location, abundant material supply and young workforce along with a large consumption market, the group’s representative said.

Vedan also receives active support from the Vietnamese government.

So far, Vedan has invested more than 580 million USD in Vietnam and the figure is expected to increase. The group contributes some 300 billion VND (13.2 million USD) to the state budget every year.

Vedan Vietnam consumes a large amount of local agricultural products such as crude sugar, cassava, starch and salt, creating jobs for local farmers besides more than 3,800 workers at its factory.

Hanoi takes measures to build fresher environment

The capital city of Hanoi is taking measures to build a green and clean environment.

Floating houses on West Lake (Ho Tay) were dismantled due to the pollution they caused while hundreds of public toilets were set up across the city.

The city is building of a wastewater treatment facility in Yen Xa (Thanh Tri district), with daily capacity of 270,000 cubic metres to improve Hanoi’s environment. A plant to treat wastewater from Cau Nga craft village also became operational in Duong Lieu commune, Hoai Duc district.

In addition to punishing littering in public places, the city has installed 4,000 new bins in four main districts- Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung and Dong Da.  Also, 50 specialised vehicles have been used for urban clean-ups.

The city leaders said that a rising population pressures the environment and the city is paying attention to mobilising capital for science and technology development to create a fresher environment. 

According to Nguyen Huu Tien, Director of Hanoi Urban Environment One Member Co., Ltd, the city should raise public awareness of environmental protection.

Japanese investors to revitalize polluted canal in HCM City

A number of Japanese investors have agreed to help revitalize the eight-kilometer Xuyen Tam Canal in Ho Chi Minh City after a recent meeting with city leaders in Tokyo.

The meeting was part of the ten-day working agenda of a delegation of Ho Chi Minh City officials, headed by Party chief Dinh La Thang, in Japan to boost ties and seek cooperation opportunities for the southern Vietnamese metropolis and Japanese cities and businesses.

At the meeting, a group of Japanese investors – Daiwa Housing, Mitsubishi, Fujita Engineering, and Oriental Consulting Group – showed particular interest in the city’s canal renovation project.

The project, despite its small investment, is vital to the livelihood of citizens living along the polluted canal, and is among the seven breakthrough programs outlined by the municipal Party Committee in 2015, Thang said.

The Xuyen Tam Canal, which snakes eight kilometers through Binh Thanh and Go Vap Districts, measures between 17 and 42 meters in width.

The canal is the destination of about 40 percent of household sewage in Binh Thanh District, receiving around 40,000 cubic meters of untreated wastewater on a daily basis.

A VND123 billion (US$5.5 million) plan to renovate the canal has been in place since as early as 2002, but was never implemented in reality due to multiple unfavorable circumstances.

In March last year, the administration of Ho Chi Minh City approved a proposal to carry out a massive renovation project on the canal at a cost of VND5 trillion ($223.21 million), 70 percent of which would be funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loans.

Party chief Thang promised Japanese investors that Ho Chi Minh City authorities will have site clearance finished within 15 months so that work on the project could begin as early as this year.

The construction plan would be drafted by the municipal Department of Transport and become available next month, upon which it would be submitted to the city’s administration for approval, Thang said.

“Ho Chi Minh City is committed to commencing work on the canal in 2017 and having it done by 2020,” the Party chief told Japanese investors on Saturday.

Crew of Royal New Zealand Navy warship visits Danang

The Vietnam Navy on Wednesday, April 12, will welcome the arrival of the crew of Royal New Zealand Navy warship HMNZS Te Kaha (F77) to the country for a 5-day goodwill visit.

The two navies will engage in a series of confidence-building activities, according to a Navy spokesperson.

The officers and crew of the Royal New Zealand Navy will pay courtesy calls to the Navy Chiefs High Command of Military Zone 3 and Danang municipal leaders. They will also play basketball with their Vietnamese counterparts.

The crew of the Warship HMNZS are currently on a similar 4-day goodwill visit to the Philippines Navy in Manilla, which is scheduled to conclude on April 11.

Subsidence causes road leading to Ho Chi Minh City to be wavy

Serious subsidence has caused a major route leading to the east entrance of Ho Chi Minh City to become ‘wavy,’ endangering vehicles traveling on the road.

A section of Hanoi Highway, which connects District 9 in Ho Chi Minh City with neighboring provinces to the east of the city, has had its surface heavily distorted by severe subsidence.

As a large amount of traffic flows on the highway on a daily basis, its surface has become wave-like, with the gaps measuring about 10 to 20 centimeters deep, causing immense challenges for vehicles.

Commuters have to travel at a snail’s pace in order to avoid potential accidents.

Aside from the curvy surface, the asphalt cover of several parts of the road has also peeled off.

According to Tran Si Thang, director of Urban Traffic Management Zone No. 2, which manages the road section, the heavy load of daily traffic has driven the road to be degraded.

The unit will start to repair the road surface, Thang stated, adding that a layer of asphalt would be added on the affected section as a temporary measure to ensure traffic safety.

Body of the Nghinh Ông incident's last victim found

Đông Hải District People’s Committee in the southern province of Bạc Liêu on Monday found the dead body of a 19-year-old girl, who had been missing for several days following the sinking of a ship.

The body of Lưu Thị Mỹ Duyên, from Đông Hải District, was found in a mangrove swamp in Tân Thuận Commune, Đầm Dơi District, in the southern province of Cà Mau.

Earlier, last Thursday, Doãn Thanh Nam, 35, captained a ship transporting 40 people to attend the Nghinh Ông Festival, which was organised on the Gành Hào River in Bạc Liêu Province.

The ship encountered high waves and strong winds when it was some 2km away from the Gành Hào seaport in Đông Hải District and capsized. Trần Tú Trân, 17, and Lê Ngọc Hân, 16, died in the incident, while Duyên could not be found.

Local authorities said the ship was not managed by the festival’s organiser.

Nam has been detained by the Đông Hải District Police for further investigation into violations of waterway transport regulations.

Korean pop sensations Infinite coming to Vietnam

Local fans of Korean pop are in meltdown at the news the 7-member boy band Infinite is coming to Ho Chi Minh City for a special gig.

The band, who were formed on a reality show, will perform on April 16 at a live concert as special guests of the popular television series Duet Song Festival to broadcast on VTV7.

The group, who made their debut in 2010, are made up of seven guys: Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Hoya, Sungyeol, L, and Sungjong.

Drivers fined for driving contrariwise in Nhật Tân Bridge

Two car drivers were fined on Monday after they were found driving contrariwise on the Nhật Tân Bridge in a viral video that emerged on social media last week, Hà Nội traffic police said.

Cao Mạnh Cường and Đỗ Vân Hường were fined VNĐ1 million (US$44) and given a two-month driving licence suspension.

Last Thursday, a Facebook user uploaded a clip recorded by a dashboard camera showing his car narrowly avoid an accident with five cars consecutively running contrariwise on the bridge. The driver said he was panic-stricken by the incident.

One of the violated cars carried a blue registration plate, an indication that it belongs to a State-owned agency.

Cường was later identified as the driver of the blue-plated car, which belongs to an agency of the Ministry of Health.

Speaking to the police, Cường admitted his violation, explaining that he wanted to avoid a traffic jam in the bridge, as he was in a rush to pick up a guess at Nội Bài International Airport.

Hường, the other driver, also attributed her violation to the fact that she was in a hurry and that she followed the other cars.

Both pledged not to repeat the violations and apologised to other drivers for their dangerous actions.

Before Cường and Hường, Trịnh Thu Hường from Nam Từ Liêm District received the same punishment.

Lieutenant-colonel Hà Văn Tuân of Trafic Police Team No 2 said that police have already identified the other two drivers and will soon hand out punishments.

Nhật Tân is a cable-stayed bridge crossing the Hồng (Red) River in Hà Nội, forming part of a highway linking the capital city with Nội Bài International Airport. It offers two-way roads with a median barrier dividing the two directions.

Quang Binh boosts effort to tackle UXOs

The Vietnam Bombs and Mines Action Support Association has established a new branch in the province of Quang Binh with the aim of accelerating effort to tackle the impact of unexploded ordnances (UXOs) and aid UXO victims.

Lieutenant General Pham Ngoc Khoa, vice present of the Association, made the announcement on April 11, saying that more than 40 years after the end of the war, many areas of the province are still contaminated by UXOs, which seriously threaten the safety of local communities while hindering socio-economic development. 

The new branch will work together with local authorities and other social organizations to raise financial aid from foreign and domestic businesses and individuals for bomb and mine clearance missions and improving the life of UXO victims.

Vietnam has signed Memoranda of Understanding regarding tackling the UXO issue with the US Government, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and the International Centre.

At the same time, the country is working with foreign partners in the field in the framework of the United Nations’ Development Programme and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.

The US army used more than 15 million tons of bombs and mines in the war in Vietnam, four times the amount used in all of World War 2. As a result, Vietnam has been listed among the countries most contaminated with UXOs.

On the same day, the Association presented 40 gift packages worth US$200-US$500 each to assist local bomb and mine victims in the province.

Haute Couture: Xuan fashion label joins show in HCM City

The next edition of Vietnam Fashion Week on April 25-28 in Ho Chi Minh City will host Dutch-Vietnamese designer Xuan-Thu Nguyen and her Paris-based couture label Xuan, according to a release by the executive committee.

The appearance of the Xuan label will benefit the show offering a great deal of media exposure and a big boost to the other attending highly diverse couturiers comprising both well-established and emerging designers.
The Dutch designer of Vietnamese origin has settled in Paris. She is a graduate of the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and first arrived in the French capital in 2005. In July 2008, she began showing her haute couture collections at Paris Fashion Week.

Her Xuan label has a broad scope including ready-to-wear apparel. Her style is distinctive for its contemporary cuts infused with a touch of poetry, blending geometrical shapes and dainty details such as hand-made embroidery.

Fire destroys warehouses in Thanh Hóa

A fire broke out in Quốc Đại company’s 1,000sq. m workshop and warehouses in the northern province of Thanh Hóa’s Hoằng Hóa District on Monday evening.

The blaze caused panic among the hundreds of workers at work there. No casualties were reported, but three warehouses were completely destroyed. Damages have been estimated at around VNĐ10 billion (US$441,000).

The fire started at 7pm on Monday in one of the warehouses and spread rapidly as a lot of inflammable materials and equipment were stored in the warehouses.

Eleven fire engines and hundreds of fire-fighters were mobilised to put out the blaze, which was finally extinguished after five hours.

Quốc Đại company specialises in producing furniture from bamboo and rattan.

Same day, another fire damaged a 1,000sq. m workshop in Hưng Thịnh Wood Processing Joint Stock Company in Đắk Nông Province’s Cư Jut District. Dozens of fire-fighters battled with the blaze for seven hours before it was brought under control.

Electrical short circuits are believed to have caused both fires. Investigations are underway.

Draft Circular on nationality fee exemption for immigrants between VN, Laos

The Ministry of Finance is drafting a Circular on nationality fee exemption and resident fee exemption for residents in line with the regulations of the Agreement between the Governments of Viet Nam and Laos on dealing with free migration issues and unregistered marriages in border areas.

The Draft stipulates that the fee exemption will be given to those people whose residence are allowed  by the Vietnamese functional agencies and free immigrants within the borders of Viet Nam or Laos before 1985.

Free immigrants within the border areas of Viet Nam or Laos from 1986 to July 8, 2013 meet requirements, including respecting the laws of the country of residence and not violating the criminal laws, stabilizing their lives at the country of residence with sustainable assets of houses and land and not being wanted or serving the sentences under their original country's law.

The Circular is not applied to free immigrants after July 8, 2013.

Chu Y bridge to be widened

Work will start in July on a project to expand Chu Y bridge over Ben Nghe and Te canals as the bridge is overwhelmed with soaring traffic between the city center and Phu My Hung town.

According to the HCMC Department of Transport, all the three branches of Chu Y (Y-shaped) bridge will be widened from 12 meters to 14 meters, including the walkways.

The maximum load capacity of the bridge will rise to 18 tons from the current 13 tons after the upgrade.

The VND186.2 billion (US$8.2 million) project will be implemented by Urban Traffic Management No.1 under the HCMC Department of Transport. The expansion is slated for completion in July 2018.

The southern part of the city, which encompasses districts 4, 7, 8 and Nha Be, has seen a mushrooming of new residential areas. Almost all the bridges connecting the south and the city center, such as Nhi Thien Duong, Chanh Hung, Chu Y, Nguyen Van Cu, Tan Thuan and Kenh Te, are overwhelmed with rising traffic flow.

According to a transport development plan until 2020, the city will widen roads and build Kenh Te 2 and Nguyen Khoai bridges linking the downtown area and the south of the city.

The Department of Transport said the construction of new bridges would depend on the city’s budget and site clearance. Therefore, the department will prioritize the most important bridges.

Ho Chi Minh City delegation congratulates Lao New Year festival

Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh municipal Party Committee Vo Thi Dung extended her wishes to Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou on the occasion of the Lao traditional New Year festival Boun Pi May during a meeting in Vientiane on April 11. 

Congratulating the fraternal Lao Party and people on their achievements over the past four decades, Dung believed that under the sound leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the Lao people will continue achieving greater successes in the coming years. 

Ho Chi Minh City will do its best to boost ties with Lao localities, especially its twining cities and provinces, contributing to fostering friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, she promised. 

Yathotou, for her part, thanked Ho Chi Minh City for sharing its experience in developing small and medium-sized enterprises, and wished that Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City in particular would continue sharing experience with Laos in land management. 

She wished that the Party, State and authorities of Ho Chi Minh City and the entire Vietnamese people would reap greater achievements in the national construction and development, towards fulfilling the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Party Congress. 

As scheduled, the city’s delegation will pay New Year visits to Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Governor of Vientiane Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune and several former Lao Party, State and government leaders.